Chapter 12: Dungeon Sex (5)
Chapter 12: Dungeon Sex (5)
An open marshland.
In the center stood a massive tree, snapped at the waist, its crown buried in the mud.
In front of the broken trunk, a snow-white frog sat submerged in the swamp.
Its massive bulk was easily three times the size of any Big Mouth I had seen so far.
Its head was particularly enormous—so large it looked like it could swallow a small house whole.
Exuding a level of pressure that was on a completely different dimension from the others, its size and ferocity were unmistakable.
That was the boss of the Gepp Dungeon: the Big Mouth King.
Facing such a creature, Carla let out a desperate shriek.
"I’ll kill it! I’m going to kill it! Then I won’t have to drink any more, right?! Please don’t stop me, Master!"
I nodded, glancing at Carla’s now-plump belly.
"Uh, yeah. Go ahead."
"Thank you...!!"
As if my lukewarm reaction didn't matter at all, Carla rejoiced and began to draw up her mana.
Wooooom—
The flow of mana was on an entirely different level compared to the Fireballs she had used until now.
In fact, the spell Carla was about to cast was a tier higher: Intermediate Magic.
If Lower Magic was intended for individual combat, Intermediate Magic was the kind that decided the outcome of small-scale skirmishes.
There are always exceptions, of course, but that was the general rule.
Regardless, Carla was an Intermediate Magician. If she gave it her all, she was capable of using Intermediate Magic.
With that kind of firepower, she should be able to deal a fatal blow even to a boss.
However, a mage giving their all meant they needed a long time to cast, which meant someone had to protect her.
As we had discussed beforehand, I, who had been hiding behind Carla until now, stepped forward.
Sensing the unusual flow of mana, the Big Mouth King glared at us and flicked its tongue.
"Gwa-a-a-ak?"
It was a croak that sounded almost like it was mocking me, as if saying, 'You?'
"Wow... I never thought I’d be looked down on by a frog."
To be fair, I deserved to be ignored.
I couldn't even manipulate mana properly yet, let alone cast magic, so I probably didn't seem like much of a threat to it.
Nevertheless, I had a reason for stepping up.
"Gwa-a-a-a-ah!!"
The Big Mouth King’s tongue shot out with lightning speed, aiming to pierce through me and the chanting Carla.
I stood tall before it and shouted.
"I might be a pushover, but you shouldn't underestimate the power of money!"
<Ring of Protection>
• Five times a day, it automatically deploys a Shield spell in response to the wearer being in danger.
<Guardian's Necklace>
• Three times a day, it deploys a Force Shield spell in response to the wearer's will.
<Shield Pattern Bracelet>
• Once a day, it automatically deploys a Force Shield spell in response to the wearer being in danger.
Three layers of translucent barriers bloomed in the air.
Adding the Shield Scroll I had used in advance, I was protected by a total of four layers of magic.
While Shield was a common Lower-grade defensive spell, Force Shield was a mid-tier defensive spell specialized against physical attacks.
Honestly, they hadn't been easy to get.
Magical tools with built-in Intermediate Magic were the most expensive and in-demand items on the market.
Apparently, anything from Advanced-grade and up was treated as national strategic material and strictly regulated.
Unless an adventurer happened to find an Advanced-grade magical tool as a dungeon reward and put it up for auction, it was virtually impossible to buy them with money.
It made sense why late-game equipment wasn't sold in shops back when it was just a game... I guess there was a plausible reason for it after all.
Anyway, this should be enough to hold out for a while.
It would be a different story if the Big Mouth King could use magic, but fortunately, it was a pure physical-type monster.
THOOM!!
"Gwa-ack?!"
The tongue, which had been flying with fierce momentum, was halted by the force fields blocking the air.
Its pointed tip was crushed, and acidic saliva dripped down the translucent walls.
The Big Mouth King flinched for a moment, seemingly caught off guard that its attack had been blocked.
However, it quickly assessed the situation and retracted its tongue.
Then, flailing its short limbs, it began to waddle toward us.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Because of its freakishly large head, it couldn't jump despite being a frog, and its turns were sluggish...
But the power of its charge was nothing to scoff at.
Once it gained momentum, it was unexpectedly fast, and combined with the sheer mass of a boss-class monster, the impact was immense.
KWA-AAAANG!!
Crack—!
A large fissure appeared in one of the Force Shields.
It looked precarious, as if it might shatter at the slightest touch.
"Tsk."
I knew that magic from a tool was less effective than magic cast by a mage, but I didn't expect to lose a charge already.
While the Big Mouth King backed up to gain distance for another charge, I activated the necklace again to reinforce the Force Shield.
Then, I glanced back to see how Carla’s chanting was progressing.
"—————————."
Carla was mumbling incessantly while clutching her staff.
A massive magic circle was drawn beneath her feet, and complex geometric shapes and characters were filling the circle from the outside in.
Judging by the speed at which the magic circle was being completed, it looked like we’d be fine if I blocked a few more hits.
Just as I settled my thoughts and looked forward again, the Big Mouth King, having gained enough distance, began to charge once more.
The massive head approached rapidly.
KWA-AAAANG!
It was blocked again, but the creature didn't stop, relentlessly continuing its assault.
THOOOOM!
It was a cunning beast, fitting for a boss. It knew that while my barriers were strong, they would eventually break if it kept hitting them.
KAAAAANG!
Its judgment was correct. My magical tools were starting to run dry, and the reinforcement of the shields was slowing down.
KWA-AAAANG!
The frog’s horizontal pupils fixed a grim gaze on Carla.
It probably realized it might get hit by Carla’s magic, but it likely thought that if it could just withstand one hit, it could crush both of us at once.
But that was its mistake.
Why did it think I was so confident about clearing the dungeon with just the two of us?
There would be no "next time" for it.
Whirrrrr—!!
A violent storm erupted from behind me.
Was it because such a powerful amount of mana was being concentrated? Or was it because Carla possessed the same Mana Core as I did?
Thump-thump.
My heart began to race as if I had just finished a sprint, and my newly formed, faint core vibrated slightly, asserting its presence.
Sensing something was wrong, the Big Mouth King stopped its charge and tried to scramble away in the opposite direction... but it was already too late.
Carla’s mumbling grew louder until it became a clear shout that filled the entire area.
"...This is the light that no veil can hide, the flame that burns eternally. None shall dare resist!"
Having finished the chant, Carla thrust her staff toward the sky.
Then came the activation word.
"『Prominence Flare!』"
The words, imbued with power, became a sentence of judgment.
Whoosh.
A tiny spark flickered in the air above.
The spark, which looked weaker than a common matchstick flame, devoured Carla’s mana and the spell formula, rapidly swelling in size.
Larger, brighter, hotter.
Until a miniature sun descended upon the earth.
"Whoa..."
The searing heat and blinding light stung my eyes, but I couldn't look away from the sight before me.
Prominence Flare.
I knew the spell in theory.
It was an Intermediate Magic that lacked special effects like explosions or damage-over-time, but boasted overwhelming pure fire damage.
In the game, it was just a useful area-of-effect attack used to wipe out fire-weak monsters in one go...
But seeing the actual Prominence Flare in person, its majesty far exceeded my imagination.
"This is insane."
Of course, I had stacked Carla with magical tools that maximized magic power.
Even so, I didn't expect it to be this powerful.
I stood there with my mouth agape for a moment.
As Carla slowly lowered her staff...
Fwooooosh!
The miniature sun fell in response.
"Gwa-a-a-ack!!"
The terrified Big Mouth King waddled even faster, but there was no way it could escape with those short legs.
The sun traced an arc and landed precisely on the creature's back.
FLASH!
An immense amount of heat was released all at once, turning the surroundings pure white.
The boss, the Big Mouth King, was turned to ash before it could even scream, and the surrounding marshland began to evaporate instantly.
Then, a fierce heatwave swept through the area.
"W-Wait...!"
To think the aftershock alone was this intense.
Panicked, I pulled a Shield Scroll from my inventory and tore it.
I stepped in front of Carla again, bracing for the impact.
...
......
.........
Nothing happened.
"???"
For some reason, neither the heat from the Prominence Flare nor the resulting heatwave reached where I was standing.
I couldn't even hear the sound of the wind.
It was a stillness like being in the eye of a hurricane. As I tilted my head in confusion...
Tug, tug.
A small hand pulled at my back.
"Um... Master?"
"Yeah?"
"From Intermediate Magic onwards, every spell includes a defensive formula and an aftershock control formula so the caster doesn't get caught in their own magic."
"......"
So... you're saying my frantic display of tearing the Shield Scroll was completely unnecessary?
When I glared at her with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, Carla gave a sheepish smile.
"Hehe... I forgot to mention it... B-But you were trying to protect me just now, weren't you? As expected, I only have you, Master... Uueueh..."
I grabbed Carla’s cheeks and pulled them outward as she tried to awkwardly flatter me.
"From. Now. On. Make. Sure. To. Tell. Me. You gave me a heart attack."
"Yeth... I'm thorry..."
As I emphasized each word, Carla nodded vigorously, her voice muffled.
This wasn't quite enough to satisfy me, but since she seemed to be reflecting, I gave her cheeks a few more squishes before letting go.
"Uuu... that hurts..."
Carla whimpered, rubbing her reddened cheeks.
She looked so silly that it was hard to believe she was the one who had just cast that incredible spell. However...
The surrounding area, which had clearly been a swamp, had been transformed into a plain covered in ash.
The only exception was the spot where we were standing.
The pressure I felt earlier, the awe, and the racing of my heart hadn't been an illusion.
"...Was Intermediate Magic always this powerful?"
"Not usually. It's normally about half this strength."
"Really?"
"Yes. It was only possible thanks to the magical tools you bought me, Master!"
Well, that’s certainly impressive.
But in H&A, power never comes without a price.
Built-in magical tools had the downsides of exorbitant prices and limited uses.
The buff-type tools Carla was wearing were a good example; they came with penalties befitting their effects—such as increased mana consumption.
"Carla? How much mana did that use?"
"About three times the usual amount? No, maybe four times?"
"And how much mana do you have left?"
"......"
Carla quickly averted her gaze.
Suspicious.
"Carla. This is an order. [How much mana do you have left?]"
"Ugh. Nngh."
Carla hesitated for a moment as if trying to resist, but she eventually had to confess everything.
"...ne."
"What?"
"It's... it's almost all gone."
"...Didn't we fill your mana to the brim with potions?"
"...I used all of that mana."
"......"
"......"
A brief silence followed.
I see. Since she poured every drop of an Intermediate Magician's mana into it, it made sense that it would have this much power.
I looked at Carla, who was trembling and constantly avoiding my eyes, and asked.
"Carla."
"...Yes?"
"Do you want to drink one more mana potion?"
At my half-joking remark, Carla’s face turned pale.
As if the strength had left her legs, she flopped down onto the ground.
Then, she curled into a ball, hugging her bloated belly with both arms.
"M-Master! Not that medicine! Please... please, just this once, have mercy...!"
Hey, saying that while in that position makes it sound a bit weird!